Most of the time when not using shore power, at motor or anchor, with the inverter on, I receive an overload warning when the refrigeration tries to cycle on. Batteries and connectiions all appear to be fine. I have two 4D's for the house system.
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Bradley Cavedo
Need 8Ds
Did the 4Ds come with the boat? Are they deep cycle. Hunter used to ship the big boats with wet cell starter batteries for trucks. They would last about a year. Get 2 8D gell cells from West Marine. about $800 but they are no maintenance and will last forever if managed right. Is the "overload warning" the light on the Heart Inverter panel? Read the instruction book as to what this means. When charging, it means "overheat" not "overload" for example. In the invert mode, it may mean there is inadequate DC voltage to supply the AC demand. Read the manual and get 2 8Ds. They will have about 500 DC apm hours of power, which means you will have about 225 to 250 amps of usable power before you will have to recharge. That should get you through a 12 to 18 hour period. On extended trips, we usually run the generator at least an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening on our P42. If you dont really understand what all this means, read the WEST ADVISOR part of the cateloge on this topic. It is basic but a good place to start to under stand your power system.
Did the 4Ds come with the boat? Are they deep cycle. Hunter used to ship the big boats with wet cell starter batteries for trucks. They would last about a year. Get 2 8D gell cells from West Marine. about $800 but they are no maintenance and will last forever if managed right. Is the "overload warning" the light on the Heart Inverter panel? Read the instruction book as to what this means. When charging, it means "overheat" not "overload" for example. In the invert mode, it may mean there is inadequate DC voltage to supply the AC demand. Read the manual and get 2 8Ds. They will have about 500 DC apm hours of power, which means you will have about 225 to 250 amps of usable power before you will have to recharge. That should get you through a 12 to 18 hour period. On extended trips, we usually run the generator at least an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening on our P42. If you dont really understand what all this means, read the WEST ADVISOR part of the cateloge on this topic. It is basic but a good place to start to under stand your power system.
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Mark Johnson
Same Problem!
Don: I get the same message on my 460. The refrigeration is power hungry! I now can get about 14 hours before I get the overload message. Before It was rewired I could only get about 2 hours. It turned out that one of the 4D's was not even hooked in! I now run the generator for about an hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening and have had no problems. Mark Johnson
Don: I get the same message on my 460. The refrigeration is power hungry! I now can get about 14 hours before I get the overload message. Before It was rewired I could only get about 2 hours. It turned out that one of the 4D's was not even hooked in! I now run the generator for about an hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening and have had no problems. Mark Johnson
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Richard Owen
Inverter/Refrig on 460
Donald: I have had my 460 since July. I have been trying to get the inverter/refrigeration problem solved ever since then. On our boat, there was a time when we couldn't start the fridge compressor at all. The inverter was changed and now it will usually start OK when the engine is not running. With the engine running, it won't start - goes into overload on the inverter. I have up until now been told that my boat is the only one with this probelm, so it's good to hear from you and Mark. I have been told that the problems originate from a mis-match between the compressor and the inverter. I hear from some that the right solution is a larger inverter. I don't think it has anything to do with batteries because I have changed mine to golf carts - 700 AH and I still have problems. Apparently, the inverter doesn't like the higher voltages produced by good alternators and good battery banks. In theory, the system might work better with cheaper batteries since they will draw down to low voltage quicker. I would be very interested in the details about when your system works and when it doesn't. Keep in touch, ROwen, Mikayla
Donald: I have had my 460 since July. I have been trying to get the inverter/refrigeration problem solved ever since then. On our boat, there was a time when we couldn't start the fridge compressor at all. The inverter was changed and now it will usually start OK when the engine is not running. With the engine running, it won't start - goes into overload on the inverter. I have up until now been told that my boat is the only one with this probelm, so it's good to hear from you and Mark. I have been told that the problems originate from a mis-match between the compressor and the inverter. I hear from some that the right solution is a larger inverter. I don't think it has anything to do with batteries because I have changed mine to golf carts - 700 AH and I still have problems. Apparently, the inverter doesn't like the higher voltages produced by good alternators and good battery banks. In theory, the system might work better with cheaper batteries since they will draw down to low voltage quicker. I would be very interested in the details about when your system works and when it doesn't. Keep in touch, ROwen, Mikayla
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Bradley Cavedo
Switch to "Both"
Make sure your battery selector switch is on "both." Leave it there. Get rid of the 4Ds and get 8Ds. The idea that the inverter does not like a lot of power is just wrong. It loves lots of DC power. Something is not right in the wiring of the 6volt batteries. The golf cart battery solution is really the best solution for power hungry boats. Where is the inverter located? If it is in the engine room it could be getting hot, hence "overload" which means "overheat." This was a big problem on the P42s.
Make sure your battery selector switch is on "both." Leave it there. Get rid of the 4Ds and get 8Ds. The idea that the inverter does not like a lot of power is just wrong. It loves lots of DC power. Something is not right in the wiring of the 6volt batteries. The golf cart battery solution is really the best solution for power hungry boats. Where is the inverter located? If it is in the engine room it could be getting hot, hence "overload" which means "overheat." This was a big problem on the P42s.
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Richard Owen
Brad
Brad: I must disagree with you. First - yes the battery switch is on both - always has been. We went through a rigorous process of trying the system at various absorption settings to confirm that it was the high voltage that was cutting out the inverter. If we set it to about 13.9 it worked pretty well. Problem is that we can't get adequate charging at 13.9. We want 14.4 to get a good full charge in a reasonable time. As for the location of the inverter, it was moved to be as close as possible to the batteries. It is not overheating, it is cutting out on overload due to input voltage problems when trying to start the high load of the fridge. In fact it cannot give much more than 90 volts AC at times. The fridge sits there trying to start and in a few seconds, the inverter cuts out on overload. I think the inverter is too small, and this opinion is shared by some others who are alot more knowledgeable than I. ROwen Mikayla
Brad: I must disagree with you. First - yes the battery switch is on both - always has been. We went through a rigorous process of trying the system at various absorption settings to confirm that it was the high voltage that was cutting out the inverter. If we set it to about 13.9 it worked pretty well. Problem is that we can't get adequate charging at 13.9. We want 14.4 to get a good full charge in a reasonable time. As for the location of the inverter, it was moved to be as close as possible to the batteries. It is not overheating, it is cutting out on overload due to input voltage problems when trying to start the high load of the fridge. In fact it cannot give much more than 90 volts AC at times. The fridge sits there trying to start and in a few seconds, the inverter cuts out on overload. I think the inverter is too small, and this opinion is shared by some others who are alot more knowledgeable than I. ROwen Mikayla
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Bradley Cavedo
What size is the inverter?
What size is the inverter? Who is you dealer and what are they doing to resolve this issue? Have you tried talking to the factory representatives at Hunter? Have you talked to Jim Bohart? The 460 being a new boat may well have some first year issues associated with it the require rethinking by the factory. Once the factory is fully aware of those issues, they will work with you to make it right. Hunter was very good working with us on our new boat that had a couple factory issues associated with us and the P42 had been in production for 10 years at the time. This AC refrigeration inverter dependent system is new for Hunter. They have always used the standard DC systems before. There must be some advantages to it for them to make the switch, but you dealer and Hunter owe it to you to get it up and running right away. You might want to try Craig Beechler at Norton's in Deltaville for a second opinion on what is wrong with your system. He knows Hunters. Nortons has only had one 460, however, so far. You can reach Craig through the link for Nortons on this site/
What size is the inverter? Who is you dealer and what are they doing to resolve this issue? Have you tried talking to the factory representatives at Hunter? Have you talked to Jim Bohart? The 460 being a new boat may well have some first year issues associated with it the require rethinking by the factory. Once the factory is fully aware of those issues, they will work with you to make it right. Hunter was very good working with us on our new boat that had a couple factory issues associated with us and the P42 had been in production for 10 years at the time. This AC refrigeration inverter dependent system is new for Hunter. They have always used the standard DC systems before. There must be some advantages to it for them to make the switch, but you dealer and Hunter owe it to you to get it up and running right away. You might want to try Craig Beechler at Norton's in Deltaville for a second opinion on what is wrong with your system. He knows Hunters. Nortons has only had one 460, however, so far. You can reach Craig through the link for Nortons on this site/
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Gordon Myers
Inverter Size
I assume that you have a Freedom Marine 10 which is a 50 amp Batery Charge / Inverter. Is this correct ? The load on the 110 Ref./Freezer will probably need a Freedom 20 (100 amps). The Passage 42's had / have 2 8D Batteries and a Freedom 20. The Ref./Freezers were run on 12 volt systems. I assume that when the Ref./Freezers were changed to 110 volt systems, Hunter decided that the extra battery capacy and charging system was not necessary. However the by-product to the chargng system is that you get an inverter. But the inverter is too small to do the job for the Ref./Freezer. Hunter is assuming that you will use shore power or a generator. The only effect that battery size (4D vs 8D) has is How Much or How Long you can supply power to a device. Good Luck.
I assume that you have a Freedom Marine 10 which is a 50 amp Batery Charge / Inverter. Is this correct ? The load on the 110 Ref./Freezer will probably need a Freedom 20 (100 amps). The Passage 42's had / have 2 8D Batteries and a Freedom 20. The Ref./Freezers were run on 12 volt systems. I assume that when the Ref./Freezers were changed to 110 volt systems, Hunter decided that the extra battery capacy and charging system was not necessary. However the by-product to the chargng system is that you get an inverter. But the inverter is too small to do the job for the Ref./Freezer. Hunter is assuming that you will use shore power or a generator. The only effect that battery size (4D vs 8D) has is How Much or How Long you can supply power to a device. Good Luck.
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Bob Bass
Need Info
What size is your inverter? You might look up the starting and running amperage requirements of the frig and call Hart technical service. Also I would recommend going with AGM batteries (8D).
What size is your inverter? You might look up the starting and running amperage requirements of the frig and call Hart technical service. Also I would recommend going with AGM batteries (8D).
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George Kornreich
Mine works, and here's what we've got
My 430 has a Grunert 110 volt fridge, a Heart 2000 inverter and 2 8D's (Yup, the truck starting type). Never have a problem running the fridge. Maybe it's the 2000 watt inverter that makes the difference, or possibly the 460 uses a different fridge compressor. But one thing I'd check is the compressor itself. The starting capacitor may be bad, or possibly the motor is trying to start when the compressor is loaded up due to an internal problem. Either could cause it to draw too much starting amperage.
My 430 has a Grunert 110 volt fridge, a Heart 2000 inverter and 2 8D's (Yup, the truck starting type). Never have a problem running the fridge. Maybe it's the 2000 watt inverter that makes the difference, or possibly the 460 uses a different fridge compressor. But one thing I'd check is the compressor itself. The starting capacitor may be bad, or possibly the motor is trying to start when the compressor is loaded up due to an internal problem. Either could cause it to draw too much starting amperage.
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Richard Owen
Inverter Size
The inverter is a 2000. However, the fridge draws big time on start up - I've seen it up to 250A at 12V. If it doesn't start within a few seconds, the inv. will kick out on overload. Once it's running, no problem. On our boat, they have already changed the compressor - it still does it. I am not complaining about the desire to solve this on the part of the dealer or of Hunter. They are both very involved, and time is not as important at this time of year. I think it may be stuck at the corporate level now, trying to determine who engineered this component mix. I am confident that it will be solved. I also think that this solution will have an impact on how the systems are put together on future boats. Will advise of the result. ROwen, Mikayla
The inverter is a 2000. However, the fridge draws big time on start up - I've seen it up to 250A at 12V. If it doesn't start within a few seconds, the inv. will kick out on overload. Once it's running, no problem. On our boat, they have already changed the compressor - it still does it. I am not complaining about the desire to solve this on the part of the dealer or of Hunter. They are both very involved, and time is not as important at this time of year. I think it may be stuck at the corporate level now, trying to determine who engineered this component mix. I am confident that it will be solved. I also think that this solution will have an impact on how the systems are put together on future boats. Will advise of the result. ROwen, Mikayla
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Bob Bass
Bigger Inverter?
I have an H450 with the same setup. I have only tried to run the frig while running the engine so the batteries have the extra charging amps being available during startup. Also, when I did run the frig, nothing else was on the inverter. It sounds like you may need a larger inverter if you are going to leave the frig to run when not running the generator. I only run my frig when running the generator or sometimes (rarely) when motoring due to the high start-up demand and high current draw when running.
I have an H450 with the same setup. I have only tried to run the frig while running the engine so the batteries have the extra charging amps being available during startup. Also, when I did run the frig, nothing else was on the inverter. It sounds like you may need a larger inverter if you are going to leave the frig to run when not running the generator. I only run my frig when running the generator or sometimes (rarely) when motoring due to the high start-up demand and high current draw when running.
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